Folding canopy for bicycles



(No Model 2 Sheets-Sheet 11.

J. KAUFMAN. FOLDING CANOPY FOR BIGYOLES.

Patented Oct. 27, 1896.

J/VTEWTOZ? alliowze UNITED STA ES PATENT Quince.

JOHN KAUFMAN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FQLDI'NG CANOPY FOR BICYCLESQ SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No; 570,285, dated October 27, 1896. Application filed July 30, 1396. Serial No. 601,074. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern;-

Be it known that I, JOHN KAUFMAN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Canopies for Bicycles; and I do'hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, suchas will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a canopy for bicycles and like vehicles which is so constructed thatthe parts may be folded upon each other to occupy but little space, a clamp being provided for readily attaching the device to and removing it from a support or standard.

The invention consists in the particular construction and combination of the parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is aside elevation showing the application of my invention to a bicycle, the canopy and frame thereof being in section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the canopy-frame. Fig. 3 is an elevation showing the canopy-frame folded. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the clamp employed in connecting the device to the handle-bar of a bicycle. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the socket of the canopy-frame and partscarried thereby.

Though the invention is designed to be applied to bicycles it is obvious'it could be applied to other vehicles or in other places where a light and effective sunshade is required.

In the drawings, A A designate two metal strips, the inner ends of which are connected to plates a a by rivets or pivot-pins, said plates being separated by a block Co, as shown in Fig. 5, thus allowing the strips A to turn upon their pivots in but one direction. Through the plates at a passes a tube or socket A, the lower end of which is enlarged to provide a better bearing or hold for a thumbscrew C0 The strips A A are curved lengthwise, and to their outer ends are secured plates B, to which are pivoted curved strips C O, that extend in opposite directions, the outer end of the strips of one plate being pivoted to the outer ends of the corresponding strips of the other plate. The strips A A and 0 present a frame that can be folded to cocupy but little space by first bringing the strips 0 together, swinging them upon the pivots c to theposition shown in Fig. 3, and then further folding them together upon the pivots c and a A suitable cover is placed over the frame and secured in position by stitching or otherwise fastening the same to the strips 0.

In order to provide for holding the frame in the extended position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, each curved strip (0 is provided at an intermediate point with a slide (Z, and to said slides are connected brace rods or strips D, the inner ends of which are apertured to receive a screw d, that passes through the plate B and is provided with a thumb-nut D. By tightening this thumb-nut the brace rods are held rigidly by frictional contact and thereby hold the curved strips 0 extended. When the frame is folded, said bracerods will be swung to the position shown in Fig. 3.

E designates the supporting-rod of the canopy, which is preferably made in two sections connected to each other by a coupling e, havin g threaded sockets which receive the threaded ends of the sections of the supporting-rod, said coupling also having a transverse aperture to receive an implement for coupling and uncoupling the parts. The upper section of the supporting-rod G is curved, as shown, to position the major portion of the canopy to one side of the vertical portion of said rod, and the upper end of this section is bent to enter the tube or socket A, to which it is secured by the thumb-screw a The lower section of the supporting-rod is provided with a clamping device consisting of a tube H, having outwardly-projecting spring members H H brazed thereto, a plate H being curved and secured at its ends to said member, as shown.

The free ends of the spring members 11 are connected by a thumb-screw h, which when tightened will clamp the plate H upon the handle-bar of a bicycle, as shown in Fig. l.

The tube H is provided with a thumb-screw h, by which the canopy can be adjusted vertically with respect to the bicycle.

Fromthe foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be understood that the several parts of the device can be folded upon each other to occupy but little space, so that when not in use the said device can be strapped to the handlebars of the bicycle. It will also be understood that the canopy-frame alone can be folded when the sunshade is not required.

The complete device is constructed, as light as possible that it may not add any material weight to the bicycle.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination in a canopy for bicycles, of the frame for the covering consisting of curved side bars or strips 0 pivoted to each other and to plates 13, as shown, curved transverse strips A A pivoted to said plates and to an intermediate fixture having a socket and thumb-screw; together with a sectional supporting-rod adapted to en gage the socket, substantially as described.

2. The combination in a canopy forbicycles, of the frame for the covering consisting of curved side bars or strips 0 pivoted to each other and to plates B, as shown; curved transverse strips A A pivoted to said plates and to an intermediate fixture having a socket and thumb-screw; brace-rods D connected to sliding engagement with the side bars or strips C; together with a sectional supporting-rod adapted to engage the socket of the intermediate fixture, substantially as described.

3. The combination in a canopy for bicycles, of the frame for the covering consisting of curved side bars or strips 0 pivoted to each other and to plates B, as shown; curved transverse strips A A pivoted at their outer ends to said plates; plates at a between which the inner ends of the strips A are pivoted, said plates being separated by a block ct forming stops; a tube or socket secured centrally to the plates at and provided with a thumb-screw; together with brace-rods D pivoted to thumbscrews carried by the plates B, the outer ends of said rods being in sliding engagement with the curved side bars or strips 6, and a sectional supporting-rod engaging the socket carried by the plates at a, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

4. A rod or bar support for bicycles, consisting of a sleeve or tube having a set-screw, spring members H H apertured to receive the sleeve or tube, the inner ends of the members being turned up against the tube and brazed or otherwise secured thereto, a curved plate located between the members H II, and a thumb-screw for drawing the outer ends of said members toward each other, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN KAUFMAN.

\Vitnesses:

Orro J. MiiLLEn, FREDK. I-IERTzoG. 

